About the Program

Informed by his current ethnographic research at UCLA, Story has assembled a first-rate group of Armenian and Ethiopian musicians to explore the theme of nostalgia, also known as tezeta in Ethiopia’s national language Amharic. For this riveting performance, the musicians will celebrate the poignant and historic relationship between these two ancient cultures. Their repertoire includes both compositions and improvisational works that explore loss, displacement, migration, community, reclamation, dignity, and release.

Dexter Story music-directs and co-produces Higher! The Psychedelic Soul and Genius of Sly and The Family Stone on Friday, June 1 at Grand Performances. The tribute features a who’s who of talent celebrating the timeless music classics from the expansive mind of Sylvester Stewart.

Commentary: Thank you to everyone who attended this show on June 1. I appreciate you very much. Sly’s songs are the most intensely beautiful I’ve ever arranged. They play themselves but are not to be underestimated. This is gospel, funk, blues, rock, soul, and folk at its finest. I am grateful.

Dexter Story scores the short docu-film Mr. Wash and invites all to the screening at CAAM in Los Angeles.

We’d love to invite you to the premiere of our new documentary, Mr. Wash. It’s the story of Fulton Washington, who was given a life sentence under the draconian drugs laws of the 1990s. While in prison he turned to painting, and then, thanks to Barack Obama, he was free. Directed by Sean Mattison and Marisa Aveling it’s a story about art, family and second chances. The program also features an on-stage conversation with Wash and a panel on film as a force for social good.

Dexter Story and his East Africa-inspired band Wondem perform opening set at the Echoplex in support of Ayalew Mesfin’s Los Angeles debut on February 13. Mesfin’s band will be the acclaimed group Debo Band from Boston.

Dexter Story music directs an all-star band for the New Year’s Eve festivities at Grand Park on Sunday, December 31.

What’s up Los Angeles? Dance your heart out and into 2018 with best friends, sweeties, friendly neighbors, and those cousins from out-of-town at the West Coast’s flagship New Year’s Eve celebration. Grand Park and The Music Center’s N.Y.E.L.A. is the place to dream together and welcome new beginnings with a countdown on City Hall, live music, food, and photo booths in one big, beautiful, colorful Angeleno experience to remember! #NYELA

When

The event begins at 8pm on December 31, 2017 and ends at 1am on January 1, 2018.

Where

Cost

This is a free event. There’s no cost to attend.

Watch Live!

Can’t make it to N.Y.E.L.A.? Watch the biggest New Years Eve celebration on the West Coast on Facebook Live starting at 8pm on New Years Eve. A six man camera crew 🎥 will be capturing the whole night leading up to the big countdown to 2018.

Acclaimed musician, producer, live remixer and composer Mark de Clive-Lowe teams up with multi-hyphenate musician Dexter Story to bring you a special live set of reworked music from the latter’s two recent album “Seasons” and “Wondem”.

Dexter Story plays drum set with acclaimed flutist Nicole Mitchell and her ensemble on October 26, 2017 at Irvine Barclay Theatre in Irvine, CA.

Michael Dessen & Nicole Mitchell

Presented by UCI Claire Trevor School of the Arts and Irvine Barclay Theatre

Thursday, October 26, 2017

8:00 p.m.

Irvine Barclay Theatre

Active since 2003, the Michael Dessen Trio has been praised by critics for its unique blend of intricate composition, open improvisation and live electronics. With three releases on Clean Feed Records and a fourth coming in 2017, the band is especially known for their immersive, continuous live sets and for recordings produced with the same spirit. This performance will premiere new works designed to feature renowned guests Nicole Mitchell (flute) and Joshua White (piano).

The west coast premiere of When Life’s Door Opens is a multi-movement work by creative flutist/composer Nicole Mitchell, written for a chamber ensemble and three vocalists from contrasting improvisational traditions. The creative libretto for When Life’s Door Opens is based on a long-form poem of the same name, also by Nicole Mitchell. Mitchell has been recognized as “Top Flutist of the Year” by DownBeat Critics Poll for six years in a row (2010-2016).

Dexter Story performs drum set with Adam Rudolph’s Go:Organic Orchestra live at RedCat Theatre on October 7, 2017. The evening is billed as Moving Pictures + Go:Organic Orchestra.

Go: Organic Orchestra

Go: Organic Orchestra is a 21st century vision of a “future orchestra”. Artistic director Adam Rudolph’s prototypical approach to composing and improvisational conducting embraces music forms and cosmologies from around the world.

Using a non-linear score with his unique approach to rhythm as the seed material, Rudolph improvisationally conducts the musicians in concert. This creates spontaneous orchestrations which serve as both context and inspiration for the musicians improvisational dialogue.
Over the past two decades Rudolph has taught and conducted hundreds of musicians in the Go: Organic Orchestra concept in throughout North America and Europe.

The multicultural dynamic of Go: Organic Orchestra itself expresses a creative vision of our shared humanity. It is a realization of creative community in a world without boundaries; of culture as the vessel for understanding, empathy and sharing.

Dexter Story and Mark de Clive-Lowe team up for a live remix of Dexter Story’s past music releases on Saturday, October 7 at Eagle Rock Music Festival. de Clive-Lowe will take the stage interpretations by the band and process them to create something new and exciting.

Dexter Story’s Wondem band performs live in Glendale at The Open Arts & Music Festival on September 17 at 5pm. The band will play music from the 2015 Wondem release as well as new material from the upcoming Soundway album.

DESCRIPTION

2nd Annual Open Arts & Music Festival is a free family-friendly event in the heart of Downtown Glendale and is produced in collaboration with artists, performers, community leaders, local businesses, and organizations.

Dexter Story sings in the choir with Kamasi Washington live at the Hollywood Bowl on Wednesday, August 23. Kamasi opens his first solo bowl show for the master Herbie Hancock with live strings, choir and the West Coast Get Down.

Description:

Continually re-imagining jazz, the ever-ingenious Oscar- and multiple Grammy-winning pianist Herbie Hancock will bring his newest mind-blowing explorations to life with his amazing new band. L.A. native Kamasi Washington’s groundbreaking debut album The Epic and his stunning live performances around the world have brought the legacy of 20th century jazz to a new cohort of millennial hip-hop fans and more.

Dexter Story co-produces and music directs “Mothership Landing,” a concert celebrating 1977 cosmic funk album releases by Parliament-Funkadelic, Earth Wind & Fire, Bootsy’s Rubber Band and Sun Ra on Saturday, July 29.

Join us for FREE summer concerts in DTLA!
40 years ago, funk music hit critical mass with the release of groundbreaking Afrofurist-themed albums like Live P-Funk Earth Tour, Funkentelechy and All ‘N All that would ignite dance floors and shape R&B and hip-hop culture forever. Join us to celebrate the cosmic genius of George Clinton, Maurice White, William “Bootsy” Collins, Bernie Worrell, Junie Morrison, Sun Ra and more…

"My commitment is to honor global arts and culture through recordings, performance, academia and empowerment. I hope that my various projects and associations inspire all to celebrate our commonalities and differences as one human race."
~ Dexter Story c. 2016

Please direct all serious booking and licensing inquiries to wondemmusic@gmail.com